LIIC Peers
Serving as a council, committee, or SIG chair is a rewarding but also challenging at times. To ensure you feel supported and confident in your leadership, you can connect directly with one of SBM’s LIIC Peers – members of the Leadership Identification and Inclusion Committee with extensive experience in organizational leadership, communication, time management, conflict resolution, and more. This is a fantastic resource for guidance, encouragement, and practical solutions as a current or incoming SBM chair. Please note that member login is required to access your peers.
Meet Your LIIC Peers

Elva M. Arredondo, PhD, FSBM
Professor
San Diego State University
SBM Member Since 2001
Areas of Expertise:
Effective Communication & Collaboration; Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging; Time Management/Boundaries; Volunteer Engagement; Leadership Development (New & Experienced Chairs); SBM Staff Liaison Relations
As SBM member delegate, I served on both the Diversity Working Group and the Genomics Working Group. While not serving as chair, I demonstrated leadership through initiative, collaboration, and the development of actionable strategies aligned with each group's goals. They have given me opportunities to work with SBM Staff, address Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, and identify ways to engage volunteers. Within the Diversity Working Group, I played a key role in identifying opportunities, barriers, and strategies to expand the pipeline for diverse and inclusive leadership within SBM. I participated regularly in Executive Board calls and contributed ideas that informed supported SBM's priorities.
Key Leadership Contributions:
- Spearheaded recommendations to enhance diversity and inclusion practices within the Awards and Nominating Committees.
- Co-developed the concept and proposal for a one-day pre-conference workshop, Early-Career Diversity Leadership Professional Development Workshop.
In the Genomics Working Group, I helped lead focus group efforts to identify barriers to engaging in genomic research among behavioral scientists. I also contributed to advocacy efforts during Hill Day activities so that behavioral medicine researchers are represented in discussions on national research priorities.
I've received formal training in leadership through the Center for Creative Leadership and SBM's Leadership Institute. These trainings have helped me develop skills on effective communication, DEI, and time management.

Ellen Beckjord, PhD, MPH, FSBM
Vice President, Clinical Strategy and Program Optimization
UPMC Health Plan
SBM Member Since 2004
Areas of Expertise:
Conflict Resolution / Difficult Questions; Effective Communication & Collaboration; Council, Committee, or SIG Meeting Engagement; Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging; Time Management/Boundaries; Volunteer Engagement; Member Programming & Attendance; Leadership Development (New & Experienced Chairs); SBM Staff Liaison Relations
Dr. Beckjord is a behavioral scientist, epidemiologist, and licensed clinical psychologist. She did her doctoral training in clinical psychology at the University of Vermont and the Vanderbilt-VA internship consortium and her post-doctoral fellowship in the National Cancer lnstitute's (NCI} Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program. At NCI, Dr. Beckjord worked in the Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch and received a Masters in Public Health focused on Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. From NCI, Dr. Beckjord spent three years in research consulting (RAND Corporation) and five years in academic medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and Hillman Cancer Center. In February 2015, she joined UPMC Health Plan where she serves as the Vice President of Clinical Strategy and Program Optimization and hosts the Health Plan's podcast, Good Health, Better World. Her current work is focused on population health strategy, program design and evaluation, and care management optimization. She has volunteered in multiple roles at SBM, including serving as SBM's inaugural Web Editor from 2011-2014, as inaugural Digital Health Council Chair from 2014-2017, was the Annual Meeting Program Chair in 2023, and served as President of SBM in 2025. She was named a Fellow in SBM in 2021.

Angela J. Fong, PhD
Assistant Professor
University of Michigan
SBM Member Since 2013
Areas of Expertise:
Council, Committee, or SIG Meeting Engagement; Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging; Time Management/Boundaries; Volunteer Engagement
Dr. Fong is a highly engaged leader within the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) and her home institution. Her leadership roles at SBM have included serving on the Leadership Identification & Inclusion Committee, the Membership Council, as Chair of the Physical Activity Special Interest Group, and on the Program Planning Committee (2020–2021). In addition, Dr. Fong is an alumna of the Monica Baskin Diversity Institute for Emerging Leaders and has been a longstanding abstract reviewer for SBM and related professional societies.
Beyond SBM, Dr. Fong serves as an emerging leader at her institution, reviews grants for organizations such as the NIH and American Cancer Society, and has held board positions with cancer survivorship charities in both Canada and the U.S. Her sustained commitment to service, equity, and mentorship, reflect her dedication to advancing behavioral medicine and fostering professional development in the field.

David X. Marquez, PhD, FSBM
Professor and Department Head
University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
SBM Member Since 2000
Areas of Expertise:
Conflict Resolution/Difficult Questions; Effective Communication & Collaboration; Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging; Leadership Development (New & Experienced Chairs)
Dr. David Xavier Marquez has been a member of the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) for over two decades. He is currently Professor and Department Head of Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). Since 2000, David has provided consistent service, achieving Fellowship in 2016. He has held two primary service activities within SBM. First, he was Co-chair and Chair of the Physical Activity Special Interest Group (SIG; 2012-2013). David also served as Annual Meeting Co-chair (2015-2016), Chair under Dr. Jim Sallis (2016-2017), and Past-Chair (2017-2018). He served as an SBM Leadership Institute mentor for the 2023-2024 cohort, motivated by his previous participation in the Institute (2016-2017).
David has published 135 peer reviewed publications, chapters, and reports, including publications in Annals of Behavioral Medicine and Translational Behavioral Medicine. He has authored nearly 50 papers and posters at SBM annual meetings and has facilitated pre-Conference Courses. He has been awarded two prestigious SBM awards: Outstanding Dedication and Service (2013) and the Elliot J. Coups Improving Health through Behavioral Medicine Award (2023).
Outside of SBM, David is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Gerontological Society of America, and the National Academy of Kinesiology. He co-authored the chapter on Behavioral Theories and Strategies for Promoting Exercise in the ACSM Guidelines for Exercise Testing & Prescription (9th and 11th editions), and was Chair of the ACSM Strategic Health Initiatives Behavioral Strategies Committee and the Minority Health and Research SIG, respectively.

Claudio R. Nigg, PhD, FSBM
Professor, Head of Health Science Department, Director of the Institute of Sport Science
University of Bern, Switzerland
SBM Member Since 1998
Areas of Expertise:
Effective Communication & Collaboration; Council, Committee, or SIG Meeting Engagement; Time Management/Boundaries; Leadership Development (New & Experienced Chairs)
Dr. Nigg has expertise in physical activity (PA) and multiple health behavior change (MHBC) theory, measurement, and intervention; large population intervention research; technology and health behavior change; obesity prevention in children and adolescents; promoting physical activity among seniors; and the dissemination of evidence-based clinical and community-based interventions.
Attended 25 of 27 SBM conferences since 1997, actively participating in three SIGs: Physical Activity, Multiple Health Behavior Change and Multi-Morbidities, and Theory and Techniques of Behavior Change Interventions. Contributed as an abstract reviewer, SBM track and session chair, poster mentor, “Meet the Experts” PA SIG panelist, and PA SIG Student Research Award reviewer. Mentored early-career researchers through the inaugural 2020 and 2024 SBM Early-Career Researcher Mentoring Programs.
Served on the SBM Board as SIG Council Chair (2012–2015), and chaired the MHBCMM SIG twice (2007–2011, 2017–2019). Contributed to the SBM Press Release Task Force, Annual Conference Press Release Committee, and 2013–2015 Program Committee. As MHBC SIG Chair, co-edited a landmark special issue on MHBC science (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2008.02.001). As SIG Council Chair, co-edited a special issue on the future of behavioral medicine from SBM SIG’s perspective (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-016-9817-8).
Editorial roles include serving on the Translational Behavioral Medicine Editorial Board since 2010 and reviewing for Annals of Behavioral Medicine. Participated in a 2020 panel on PA measurement and contributed to the 2018 SBM opioid crisis position statement. Honors include SBM Fellow (2010), Early Career Investigator (2007), C. Tracy Orleans Distinguished Service Award (2015), Research to Practice Award (2016), and Distinguished Mentorship Award (2024).

Minal R. Patel, PhD, MPH
Professor, Department of Health Behavior & Health Equity
University of Michigan School of Public Health
SBM Member Since 2005
Areas of Expertise:
Conflict Resolution/Difficult Questions; Effective Communication & Collaboration; Council, Committee, or SIG Meeting Engagement; Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging; Time Management/Boundaries; Volunteer Management; Member Programming & Attendance
I am a Professor in the Department of Health Behavior & Health Equity at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, where my research focuses on addressing social determinants of health, financial toxicity, and health disparities in chronic disease management. I have been an active member of the Society of Behavioral Medicine since 2019 and participated in the SBM Leadership Institute in 2022-2023, which deepened my understanding of effective leadership within professional organizations. At my institution, I have served in various leadership roles including Associate Chair of my department (2019-2024) and Associate Director of the National Clinicians Scholars Program since 2020. My volunteer leadership experience also includes serving as Program Chair (2020-2021) and Program Chair-Elect (2019-2020) for the Behavioral Sciences and Health Services Research Assembly at the American Thoracic Society, where I coordinated committee activities, facilitated member engagement, and oversaw scientific programming for the annual meeting. Through these roles, I have developed expertise in building collaborative teams, managing diverse stakeholder perspectives, and creating inclusive environments that foster meaningful participation. I am committed to supporting emerging leaders as they navigate the challenges and opportunities of volunteer leadership.

William Sieber, PhD, FSBM
Director and Chief, Integrated Behavioral Health
University of California – San Diego
SBM Member Since 1991
Areas of Expertise:
Conflict Resolution/Difficult Questions; Effective Communication & Collaboration; Time Management/Boundaries; Member Programming & Attendance
Dr. Bill Sieber earned his doctorate degree in clinical health psychology from Yale University, completing his internship at the Palo Alto VA/Stanford consortium. He is a Clinical Professor at UC San Diego in both the Department of Family Medicine as well as Department of Psychiatry. He co-founded the UC San Diego Integrated Behavioral Health program that now includes dozens of behavioral health providers serving over 120,000 patients across 12 primary care clinics across San Diego County. He also serves as Associate Director of Research for the Department of Family Medicine.
Dr. Sieber served on the Board of Directors for the Society of Behavioral Medicine, has published dozens of papers in top-tier research journals, been a Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on several grants examining the value of behavioral health providers on patient care, is a reviewer for over a dozen premier professional journals, and currently serves as Associate Editor for Families, Systems, and Health, the premier peer-reviewed journal for integrated behavioral health. He has appeared in popular health publications such as MD Edge Internal Medicine and was in 2024 was honored as a “luminary” by the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association. He has presented to over 200,000 health care providers on topics including improving one’s physical and mental health, the management of anxiety, fatigue and insomnia, mindfulness, caregiver stress syndrome, and burnout of health care professionals.
Peer-to-Peer Question Menu
Common questions you might have for an LIIC Peer. Member login required to access available LIIC Peers to connect with.
- How can I open a conversation with a member who’s not pulling their weight?
- How do I navigate the differences of opinions among committee members and help build consensus?
LIIC Peers Ready to Answer Your Questions:
- How can I correct misinformation shared in our group without escalating conflict?
- I feel like I’m carrying most of the workload. How can I ask others for help?
- How do I collaborate with other SBM councils, committees, or SIGs?
- How can I facilitate connecting members to specific SBM resources and networks?
LIIC Peers Ready to Answer Your Questions:
- What are ways I can get more people involved and committed to the tasks at hand?
- What do I do if one of my members is not consistently showing up for calls?
- If I have a member who can never attend a call but still wants to be involved, how do I handle this situation?
LIIC Peers Ready to Answer Your Questions:
- How can I help new members feel welcomed and included?
- How can I create a safe space for everyone to feel comfortable sharing their opinions and ideas?
- How do I make sure my committee is inclusive of diverse voices?
- How can I handle bias if I see it in a meeting or group dynamic?
LIIC Peers Ready to Answer Your Questions:
- How do I navigate feeling overwhelmed with the demands of both work and serving as Chair?
- How do I set boundaries so chair responsibilities don’t take over my day job?
- How do I communicate the value of my leadership role at SBM to my employer?
- What if I no longer have the time or ability to serve in my role?
LIIC Peers Ready to Answer Your Questions:
- What are some ways that I can make my council, committee, or SIG members feel appreciated?
- How do I figure out the strengths of my members so I know how to effectively allocate tasks?
- Who should I be asking to join my council, committee, or SIG leadership?
- How do I make sure I have roles on my council, committee, or SIG that are suitable for students?
LIIC Peers Ready to Answer Your Questions:
- How can I boost attendance and interaction for our webinar / Annual Meeting session?
- What is the best way to structure a breakfast roundtable or networking session?
LIIC Peers Ready to Answer Your Questions:
- I don’t fully understand what is expected of me in my role as chair. How can I gain some clarity?
- What do I do when I am supposed to be transitioning to SIG Chair and the current SIG Chair has not reached out to me yet?
- How do I set realistic goals for our committee or SIG this year? (Keep in mind you may have required annual programs or goals assigned to you by the Board of Directors.)
- What do I do if I don’t feel comfortable sharing my opinions with other committee members?
- Are there any resources, training, and support that can help me in my role as Chair?
LIIC Peers Ready to Answer Your Questions:
- I have some issues / ideas that I want to address with my staff liaison but don’t know how to start this conversation. What are some helpful tips for approaching staff?
- I’m not sure what responsibilities fall to staff vs. chairs — how can I clarify that without overstepping?
- How can I share feedback about SBM processes or staff support in a constructive way?
- I have an idea for a new initiative — what’s the best way to test whether staff capacity and resources are available?
LIIC Peers Ready to Answer Your Questions: